twisting a bandsaw blade

[jsburger]

I understand now. When you're using the blade turned to 30^, 3-7/8" is as wide as you can go before you hit the neck of the BS. However, check out the attached link. The method will allow you to cut a piece of wood, safely, up to about 6-7/8" wide.

http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/SS_Arch ... lude_2.htm

Did I miss something? Where in the video did it say anything about 6 7/8" wide?

[dafixer]

It is not said in the video.

I drew a 45^ angle on the table top with a pencil across the front of the teeth, lined-up a 2x4 perpendicular to and along the pencil line and against the neck of the BS. Measured from the back edge of the 2x4 to the front edge of the teeth. The distance I got was just shy of 7".

[JPG]

I understand now. When you're using the blade turned to 30^, 3-7/8" is as wide as you can go before you hit the neck of the BS. However, check out the attached link. The method will allow you to cut a piece of wood, safely, up to about 6-7/8" wide.

http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/SS_Arch ... lude_2.htm

Not sure that 'computes'. In any event that is extreme and IMHO wishful thinking. I would not try it!(unless I had a large supply of 'extra' blades).

[reible]

It is not said in the video.

I drew a 45^ angle on the table top with a pencil across the front of the teeth, lined-up a 2x4 perpendicular to and along the pencil line and against the neck of the BS. Measured from the back edge of the 2x4 to the front edge of the teeth. The distance I got was just shy of 7".

I think the confusion is due to the angle being used. The shopsmith bandsaw can have the blade off set 30 degrees. If you use 30 degrees you will be down to about 3-7/8". If you were able to use the saw set at 45 degrees then the 7" number might well be correct..... but you can't do that.

Hope this clears up the issue.

Ed

[JPG]

It is not said in the video.

I drew a 45^ angle on the table top with a pencil across the front of the teeth, lined-up a 2x4 perpendicular to and along the pencil line and against the neck of the BS. Measured from the back edge of the 2x4 to the front edge of the teeth. The distance I got was just shy of 7".

I think the confusion is due to the angle being used. The shopsmith bandsaw can have the blade off set 30 degrees. If you use 30 degrees you will be down to about 3-7/8". If you were able to use the saw set at 45 degrees then the 7" number might well be correct..... but you can't do that.

Hope this clears up the issue.

Ed

Nope! Did you watch the Drew Acherman thing linked to?

He claims that by changing the orientation of the blade guides 45 degrees is possible.

I have not scoped that out, but he said the angled end of the 'outer' blade guide had a 45 degree angle. I have thought it was 30.

Granted the inner blade guide which is mounted at a vertical angle has a compound angle, but I do not think rotating it will create that 45 degree blade offset.

I do not think this will pass the daylight test, nor do I think it a good thing to try.

I do not think that was well thought out before it was recorded. That be an opinion not well thought out by me either.

[JPG]

It is not said in the video.

I drew a 45^ angle on the table top with a pencil across the front of the teeth, lined-up a 2x4 perpendicular to and along the pencil line and against the neck of the BS. Measured from the back edge of the 2x4 to the front edge of the teeth. The distance I got was just shy of 7".

I think the confusion is due to the angle being used. The shopsmith bandsaw can have the blade off set 30 degrees. If you use 30 degrees you will be down to about 3-7/8". If you were able to use the saw set at 45 degrees then the 7" number might well be correct..... but you can't do that.

Hope this clears up the issue.

Ed

Nope! Did you watch the Drew Acherman thing linked to?

He claims that by changing the orientation of the blade guides 45 degrees is possible.

I have not scoped that out, but he said the angled end of the 'outer' blade guide had a 45 degree angle. I have thought it was 30.

Granted the inner blade guide which is mounted at a vertical angle has a compound angle, but I do not think rotating it will create that 45 degree blade offset.

I do not think this will pass the daylight test, nor do I think it a good thing to try.

I do not think that was well thought out before it was recorded. That be an opinion not well thought out by me either.



I dug out the bandsaw manual. The compound angles are 45/30 and 45/90 on the ends of the inner(long) guide. The outer(short) has a 30 and a 90 degree angle on the ends.

I think we can safely disregard Drew on this one.

[reible]

I personally think 30 degrees is pushing it. No way would I want to try 45 degrees. You will also notice that he did not set up and run it that way.

However, if you do cut to the limit and are willing to shut off the saw and back the work piece out you could then flip it around and cut twice the width by making the second cut from the opposite side as the first. I'm saying this with some trepidation because someone might want to pull the wood back with the saw running which is a big NO NO.

I did go to my saw this evening and got out a miter gauge so I could verify the numbers and I also twisted the loose blade, 30 degrees didn't feel too bad but 45, well enough said.

Our bible says 30 degrees and 3-7/8" and that is good enough for me.

Ed

[dafixer]

I thank all y'all for your responses. I'll close this thread with this; I asked 2 questions in my original post..."Has anyone had a need to twist the blade to that angle? In what situation would you need to do that?"...I'm satisfied that the answer to those are subject to (1) the user's comfort level in twisting the blade to 30^ or more and (2) whether you're having to make several cuts on a single board on the BS and need to shorten it first. Or perhaps you're in production mode on the BS and need to make several cuts on many boards in succession on the BS. In any case, the manual, and common sense, says twisting the blade will cause more wear, tear and from what I've observed, additional time in re-alignment when switching from 0^ to 30^ and back again. I'll probably stick to the TS for long boards. Thanks again.